Iconic actress Raquel Welch, celebrated for her roles in the 1960s and 1970s including One Million Years B.C., experienced a dynamic romantic life marked by four marriages from 1959 to a 2003 divorce. She welcomed two children during her first union and maintained a lasting connection to her surname from that early romance.
James Welch: The High School Sweetheart
Raquel Welch’s first husband, James Welch, captured her heart in high school. In her autobiography Beyond the Cleavage, she recalled, “He had wavy black hair, green eyes, and a cool demeanor. I’ll never forget the day I came running up the steps to my American government class and there he was.” She described the encounter as “instant attraction.”
The pair wed in Las Vegas in 1959. Their son Damon arrived months later when Raquel was just 19, followed by daughter Tahnee two years after. The marriage ended in divorce in 1964, yet she retained the Welch name throughout her career.
Patrick Curtis: Film Producer Partner
Following her split, Raquel began dating producer Patrick Curtis during work on the 1965 film A Swingin’ Summer. They married at Paris City Hall the next February, after her breakout role in One Million Years B.C. released.
Curtis produced projects like The Sorcerers (1967), Meanwhile, Back at the Ranch (1976), and the 1995 TV movie The Avenging Angel. Their union lasted about five years, concluding in a 1972 divorce. Curtis passed away in 2022 at age 83.
André Weinfeld: Creative Collaborator
Raquel met French screenwriter and director André Weinfeld in 1977 and married him that same year in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. Actor Robert Mitchum made a surprise appearance at their hotel reception.
The couple teamed up professionally, including on the 1980 special From Raquel With Love and Weinfeld’s co-production of the Broadway show Woman of the Year in 1981, where Raquel stepped in for Lauren Bacall. They divorced after more than a decade together in 1990.
Richie Palmer: Restaurateur Romance
Raquel connected with her fourth husband, restaurateur Richard “Richie” Palmer, at a party. Palmer launched his first pizza restaurant in New Rochelle in 1985 and expanded to four locations in Southern California by 2000, with plans for a fifth near Denver.
He once called Raquel a “living legend” and enjoyed perks like “great seats at the fights. You go wherever you want to go. It’s great.” The couple married in 1996 and parted ways seven years later in 2003.
Her Two Children in Entertainment
Son Damon and daughter Tahnee both pursued careers in show business, appearing alongside their mother in the 1971 film The Beloved.
Tahnee launched her acting career at 16, gaining recognition as Kitty in Cocoon (1985) and its 1988 sequel. She also modeled for Vogue, British GQ, and graced the cover of Playboy in 1995.
Damon contributed behind the scenes to his mother’s projects, including Raquel: Total Beauty and Fitness and serving as executive producer on I Am Raquel Welch.
